"It's good to be home." Jamie emotionally states as everyone around the dinner table slowly starts moving cutlery and laying out napkins.
"So are you home for good now?" Sean can't help but ask as he and others begin reaching for plates of food and dishing them out.
"Ah no." Jamie hesitantly admits knowing he has to tread carefully in his replies "Circumstances have just made it so I have too… lay low for a few days."
There is a moment of silence around the table as everyone processes that and as Danny looks across the table at his sister in law, he can see the pure relief Eddie felt having Jamie back disappear a little and as much as she tries to hide it, he can see the apprehension creep back in.
"Lay low." Danny suddenly repeats trying to distract Eddie and everyone else "Now you don't just look like a dirt bag but you sound like one too."
Jamie looks at his brother and gives him a little scowl "Thanks."
"So you came home." Sean ponders in thought.
"Of course he'd come home!" Henry immediately defends.
"Nowhere else I'd rather be." Jamie sincerely confirms.
"So you're just going to what?" Erin chimes in "Hang out in your apartment until you go back in?"
"Basically." Jamie admits.
There is another slight silence around the dinner table.
"You know Eddie." Danny suddenly begins "You're looking a little pale over there. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
Eddie looks up completely confused by Danny's words "I'm fine." She promises as Jamie looks over at his wife in concern.
Danny rolls his eyes and looks at his sister gesturing his head slightly in Eddie's direction.
Erin looks at Danny also slightly confused but then the next second she gets what he is trying to do so she turns her attention to her sister in law beside her "You know Eddie, I think Danny might be right. Maybe you should take a few days off from work just to be safe."
"Oh." Eddie breathes out now understanding what her in laws are trying to do "As much as I appreciate what you are trying to do…"
Erin and Danny look over to their father for help.
"Why are you looking at me?" Frank queries.
"Because Francis…" Henry prompts picking up on the cues "Isn't the new protocol that if you are sick you should stay home?"
"But I'm not sick." Eddie reiterates.
"Shhhh!" Danny, Erin and Henry immediately chide Eddie.
Frank watches as Jamie and Eddie both sigh in defeat with looks of longing on both their faces. They would both give anything to lock themselves away in their own little world for the short time Jamie will be home but they are both dedicated police officers and both know Eddie's work is no less valuable then Jamie's.
"Look guys…" Jamie begins.
"Pop's right." Frank suddenly declares "That is the new protocol."
"But I'm not sick." Eddie just repeats in dejection.
"But you might be getting sick." Danny prompts unwilling to give up as Erin reaches over and without warning feels Eddie's forehead "Hmmm you do seem a little warm."
"Okay enough!" Eddie laughs as she lightly pushes Erin's hand away.
"Well just know…" Frank states "That even if there is the slightly chance that you do think you might be getting sick, it is in everyone's best interest that you indeed stay home."
Both Jamie and Eddie's heads turn to look at Frank in surprise that he would condone such actions.
"Is that…" Eddie can't help but ask "…an order?"
Frank plasters his trademark smile on his face "Call it whatever you want." He ambiguously replies.
Eddie stares at her father in law another moment before turning to look at her husband, who just shrugs a little in deflection "Did sound like a bit of an order to me." Jamie admits not really caring how small a percentage the bit part actually was.
"O…kay." Eddie slowly breathes out "Who am I to disobey the Police Commissioner."
"Excellent!" Henry happily quips in delight knowing his youngest grandson and daughter in law will get to spend some quality time together before Jamie has to head back out on assignment "Now pass me the roast!"
….
Everyone stands in the kitchen watching Jamie and Eddie getting ready to leave.
"It was so good seeing you home." Erin tells her younger brother as she moves to give him a hug "Be careful out there okay?"
"I will." Jamie promises.
"Maybe put your hoodie up…" Danny suggests from off to the side "…when you get to your apartment or your neighbors might think a criminal got in the building."
"Cute." Eddie deflects.
"But he's right." Jamie admits "The less people that see me like this and could make a connection between me and him..." he emphasizes referencing his undercover persona "…the better."
"Although if you do put the hoodie up…" Danny counters looking at things from a different angle "…then your neighbors might just think Eddie is trying to hide the fact that she's bringing some strange guy home."
"Well." Erin muses "None of them have seen Jamie in weeks." She adds "They all might just think they broke up."
"You guys!" Eddie laughs.
"I'll take my chances with the hoodie." Jamie shoots back "Thanks."
"Oh it's so good to have him home again!" Danny laughs at getting under his brother's now tattoo riddled skin.
"Even if it's only for a few days." Frank suddenly adds as he stares at his youngest causing the mood in the room to turn serious.
"You be safe out there Jameson." Henry adds as he moves to give his grandson a hug "And I will hope you can be at next Sunday's dinner too."
"I'll try my best Pop but…"
"I know." Henry finishes as he pulls back "You can't make any promises."
Jamie silently nods in confirmation "Well…" he adds as he reaches behind him to pull his hood up over this head.
"Did I say dirt bag?" Danny suddenly states "I meant thug."
The next second, Jamie drops the hood back down to his shoulders and looks at his brother "You wanna go?" he challenges with a smirk.
"No fights in my kitchen boys." Frank warns with a smile of his own.
"Looking like that, you could probably take me." Danny admits as he takes a step towards his brother while turning serious again "You be safe out there okay?" he adds as he puts a hand on his brother's shoulder "Watch your six."
Jamie nods in acceptance.
"Good." Danny accepts as he gives Jamie's shoulder a little squeeze then steps back "Now get out of here before Erin starts to cry."
"Oh right." Erin rejects "Make me the scapegoat."
"Come on." Eddie states as she reaches for her husband who is once again pulling his hood over his head "Before we all turn into a pile of mush."
….
Eddie walks down the steps of Frank's house leading the way with a hoodie covered Jamie following close behind with his head down.
He stops walking when she stops walking and he looks up a bit when he sees his wife offer a set of keys out to him "You wanna drive?"
Looking up a bit more Jamie suddenly sees The Chevelle before him and he can't stop the smile that spreads across his face "You drove her?"
Eddie shrugs in deflection "Well I can't just leave her sitting there unused. She'll seize up… besides when I drive her…" She quietly admits trying really hard not to get too emotional "I feel closer to you."
With so many emotions now coursing through his body – love, happiness, joy, appreciation and awe, Jamie looks up a bit more so he can look at his wife's face and when they lock eyes he can see all those same emotions reflecting back at him in her eyes.
Knowing this isn't the time or the place for their own private reunion that they both desperately want, Eddie clears her throat "So are you driving or what?"
"Three things." Jamie begins "One, have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"If lately…" Eddie begins "…means three weeks ago when you left…"
"I love you." Jamie interrupts "Two, yes I would love to drive…" he continues on as he gently pushes the keys back towards his wife "But I can't – again too great a risk of me being associated with him." He adds "So it's best I just ride in the backseat and three, can we go now because I really want to kiss you and we shouldn't do that until we are safely inside our apartment."
Eddie immediately takes her keys back, unlocks the car, opens the door and moves the seat forward "Get in the car Jamie." She seriously instructs.
"Yes Ma'am." Jamie immediately accepts as he ducks down and climbs in.
Eddie moves the seat back then can't help but do a quick 360 degree scan with her eyes to see if anyone is watching them before sliding into the driver's seat and shutting the door "Only people that saw you get in the car are your family watching us from the window."
"Seriously?" Jamie laughs.
"Yup." Eddie confirms as she looks in the rearview mirror at her husband "Hey Jamie?"
"Yeah?" He queries as he looks up and meets her eyes in the mirror.
"I think you look hot and I can't wait to see where all those tattoos go."
Jamie sucks in a breath of air at her words "Start the car and drive Eddie." He demands so as a little smile of giddy anticipation appears on Eddie's face, she starts the car, shifts into drive and pulls away.
….
Back inside the Reagan family home, everyone sighs and moves away from the window when they see The Chevelle drive off.
"I gotta admit Dad." Danny suddenly begins "I wasn't sure you would back us up there for a minute telling Eddie to call in sick."
"Why did you?" Erin curiously inquires.
"So that when Jamie goes back out there." Henry replies for Frank as he locks eyes with his son "He's got a fresh in his mind reminder of what he's fighting to get back too."
"And when you are undercover…" Frank adds in agreement "…that is the best motivation you can have."
...